Volume 5

The works of Plato. A new and literal version, chiefly from the text of Stallbaum ... By Henry Cary [vol. II, Henry Davis, vols. III-VI, George Burges] / [Plato].

  • Plato.
Date:
1848-1854
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The works of Plato. A new and literal version, chiefly from the text of Stallbaum ... By Henry Cary [vol. II, Henry Davis, vols. III-VI, George Burges] / [Plato]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    since he nearly seems to have instituted the joint feasts, through perceiving how all persons, when engaged in war, are then compelled by the thing itself, for the sake of their own defence, to feast ^ at that time together.^ In truth, he appears to me to have condemned the multitude of stupidity, for their not learning that there is constantly through life a war to all with all states. Now if during the time of war it was neces¬ sary to feast in common for the sake of defence, and for certain persons, both rulers and ruled, to be drawn up as their defenders, this should be done in the time of peace likewise. For that, which most men call peace, is only a name; but in reality there is a war, not proclaimed by a herald, accord¬ ing to nature, to alP against all states. For by thus con¬ sidering, you will almost discover, that the Cretan legislator has, looking to war, ordained for us all institutions both public and private, and ordered us to guard the laws in such a man¬ ner, as if nothing else were useful, either of possessions or pursuits, unless one became victorious in war, and all the goods of the vanquished became the property of the victors. [3.] Athen. You appear to me, O guest, to have been well practised in seeing through the laws of Crete. But tell me still more clearly this. For ^ by the definition you have laid down^ of a well-regulated state, you seem to me to say that one ought to administer it, so arranged in order, as to be victorious over the rest of states in war. Is it not so ? Clin, Just so; and I think it will seem so to this person here. Megil. For how can any Lacedaemonian whatever, O thou divine man, answer otherwise ? Athen. Whether, then, is this right in the case of states towards states, but otherwise in the case of one village towards another ? Clin. By no means otherwise. Athen. But it is the same ? Clin. Yes. ^^ The words rovrcv tov xpopop are perfectly unnecessary after the preceding tots. 2 Instead of Traffaic the train of ideas leads to Tracn, as shown by the preceding Traai Trpog cnraaaQ rag TroXsig. ®® The words within brackets, in Greek, op yap opov Wov, are omitted by Ficinus, and after him by Taylor; who here, as elsewhere, has paid no attention to the original. B 2